


Housework

by Madicam



Series: ATEEZ drabbles [4]
Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Angst, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-04-19
Packaged: 2020-01-06 13:48:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18389660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madicam/pseuds/Madicam
Summary: Seonghwa is tired of doing all of the housework.





	1. Lonely

**Author's Note:**

> Part of my April writing challenge that I'm doing with [flxdaisy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flxdaisy) !!  
> Prompt: housework

Seonghwa watched as Jongho added another dirty dish to the pile he was trying to clean. He held back a sigh, returning his gaze to the sink. One day of being sick, and the house had become a disaster. He wasn’t allowed to rest apparently; if he did, everything fell into shambles.

He finished the stack of dishes, moving on to the stove. It would be something simple tonight - a small stir fry perhaps. Seonghwa knew he wouldn’t be able to stomach it - his virus had rejected a plain glass of water - but he knew he had to stop the boys from spending money they didn’t have on take out.

He laid seven evenly proportioned plates onto the table, calling them out for supper. He didn’t join them, instead turning back to the sink and cleaning up the few dishes that he’d made in the process of cooking.

The boys were lost in their own conversation, paying him no mind as he dried his hands and exited the room. Seonghwa slipped into a pair of shoes, having decided to leave the house for a bit. He thought that some fresh air might do him good.

He let his mind wander, wondering what would happen if he didn’t return - if he left the boys and took up his mother offer to move in back home. 

Seonghwa imagined this often, but had no intentions of acting on it. He cared for his friends. And he certainly didn’t think that they’d manage without him. They needed him.

He turned on his heel, heading back to the house that they all shared. Stepping back into the kitchen, he saw that all seven of them had left their dishes on the table, presumably for Seonghwa to clean up. Frowning, he collected the plates - one at a time, rinsing them off and stacking them on the counter. It was a problem for tomorrow.

Seonghwa made his way to his room, passing the living room where the boys sat. They were engrossed in a new game that Mingi had brought home earlier. Seonghwa stepped quietly up the stairs and into his room, shutting and locking the door behind him.

Not one of them had asked if he was feeling better. 

Not one of them had thanked him for supper.

Not one of them had invited him to join them this evening.

Seonghwa’s lip quivered, a tear sliding down his cheek.


	2. Sunrise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another part of my April challenge with [flxdaisy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flxdaisy) !!  
> The prompt this time was: the sky

Seonghwa had gotten used to taking long walks. He’d already had an appreciation for nature, and now it was his escape. An escape from the stress at home.

He wasn’t sure the others had even noticed that he was out more often. No one had commented on anything, and no one had asked him about it.

Seonghwa tried to spend most of his time out of the house. His only job at home was to make supper, so he’d either wake early and prep it, or come home just in time to cook.

He’d never really felt like he was part of the group; he felt more like a parent, taking care of eight children.

Interactions with the group would make Seonghwa feel lonlier. Conversations were always about what the members had done the night before, or what they were planning on doing that day. Seonghwa was never invited.

He tried to limit the amount of times he ran into them, but it was taking a toll on his own health. He was barely eating, and rarely sleeping.

Seonghwa tried his best to be out of the house before anyone was awake. He started leaving early with plans to watch the sunrise. He found it calming. Sometimes, he would doze while watching it, feeling more relaxed outside than he did in his own bed.

He wondered if the others even noticed that he wasn’t home.

The routine of leaving early, and coming home just in time for supper was normal to Seonghwa. It’d been almost a month now. 

Seonghwa found himself leaving the house earlier each day. He couldn’t sleep, so he didn’t see a reason to stay in bed. He started going out before the others were even asleep.

“Where are you going?” Hongjoong asked one day as Seonghwa made his way down the stairs.

“Gonna watch the sunrise,” Seonghwa replied, surprised that Hongjoong had even asked.

“At two-thirty?”

“Gotta find a good spot.”

“I’m coming with you.”

Seonghwa could only nod. He wasn’t used to having company, but how could he turn it down when it was the only thing he truly desired?

They walked in silence. Seonghwa eventually settled on sitting in a soccer field at a local park.

“Do you do this often?” Hongjoong asked, his voice piercing.

“Everyday.”

“Why?”

“It’s pretty,” Seonghwa shrugged. He was scared to say more.

Hongjoong nodded, allowing them to fall back into a moment of stillness. “You’ve been coming home late, and if you leave this early - do you sleep much?”

“Enough,” Seonghwa lied. He knew it was enough. He just didn’t want Hongjoong worrying.

“I miss you,” Hongjoong stated, looking down at the grass.

“Don’t lie to to me.” Seonghwa didn’t believe him. It’d been so long since they’d even spoken. He didn’t think that Hongjoong still cared.

“I’m not. I miss seeing you around, talking to you, hearing you laugh. I thought maybe something bad had happened with your family, that you wanted space. Now I’m not so sure,” Hongjoong frowned.

Seonghwa spoke, his voice barely above a whisper, for fear that it would crack. “I miss you too. All of you.”

“Come home. Stay home. Spend time with us.”

“I’ll be included…?” Seonghwa asked, hesitation still clear in his voice. He hadn’t hung out with any of them in ages.

“Of course. And I’ll cook, and get the others to clean. You deserve a break.”

Seonghwa took a deep breath, nodding slightly. “I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be,” Hongjoong said with a gentle smile, pulling Seonghwa into a tight embrace.

The boys stayed, watching the sunrise. And for the first time in weeks, Seonghwa walked home with a smile on his face.


End file.
